by Adeola Balogun
Three men suspected of fraudulently obtaining a sum of N25 million from a Chinese woman have been arraigned in a Lagos State court.
Emmanuel Nwachukwu, 28; Eke Emenike, 45 and Julius Anyanwu, 43, were taken before the court in the Ebute Metta area of the state on two counts of fraud.
One of the suspects was previously employed by the victim and was reportedly responsible for introducing the foreigner to the other suspects.
The Eagle Online reports:
The prosecutor, ASP Etim Nkankuk, told the court that the accused committed the offences on August 5 at Rockview Hotel, Apapa, Lagos.
Nkankuk said that Nwachukwu, who worked with the Chinese, Lynda Xing Fu, introduced the other accused to her to supply her chemicals for producing tiles.
“The complainant gave the accused money but they neither supplied the goods nor returned the money,” Nkankuk said.
He noted that the offences contravened Sections 312 and 409 of the Criminal Law of Lagos State, 2011.
All the accused persons, however, pleaded not guilty to the charge.According to Section 312, any person found guilty of obtaining by false pretences is liable to 15 years imprisonment.
Section 409 prescribes two years imprisonment for conspiracy.
The Chief Magistrate, A. A. Demi-Ajayi, granted the accused bail in the sum of N1 million with two sureties each.Demi-Ajayi said that the sureties must show evidence of three years’ tax payment to the Lagos State Government. Demi-Ajayi adjourned the case to December 4 for substantive trial.
